Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018
616. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the regulations in place in regard to counselling services for sexual offenders in respect of location of treatment facility, hours of treatment required, co-location of services with other services and other requirements in respect of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33377/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is assumed that the question refers to the treatment of convicted sex offenders while in prison and under the supervision of the Probation Service when in the community.
While in prison, a convicted sex offender can avail of relevant treatment to address their offending behaviour. The treatment of sex offenders is centred in Arbour Hill Prison and Midlands Prison where the Building Better Lives (BBL) programme is undertaken. This programme comprises group interventions in three modules and allows responsive and flexible delivery of rehabilitation services that take account of individual risk, needs and capacity. The programme is delivered by the Irish Prison Service Psychology Service in conjunction with the Probation Service.
Not all sex offenders are suited to group programmes and other prison-based therapeutic interventions include one-to-one interventions. Other services are also available to sex offenders in order to address other related needs, for example mental health issues. Therapeutic interventions with sex offenders in the prison setting are primarily delivered through the Irish Prison Services' Psychology Service.
The Probation Service engages with sex offenders throughout the course of their sentence. This work primarily focuses on reducing the risk posed by the individual following release and also on any child protection issues that may arise. The Probation Service is also responsible for the Post Release Supervision Orders for sex offenders where the court has sanctioned supervision of offenders after their custodial sentence.
The Probation Service is the lead agency for sex offender treatment programmes in the community. For example, in conjunction with a community based non-governmental organisation, it delivers the Safer Lives group treatment programme. Three programmes are delivered, two in Dublin and one in Cork. Each group can accommodate eight sex offenders. The programme runs on an inter-disciplinary, co-facilitated model, which includes psychologists, Probation Officers and Safer Lives staff members. The groups have a rolling intake and are of 14 months duration.
The Deputy may also be aware that in managing convicted sex offender cases there is a high level of contact between agencies to support sex offender management as appropriate in the interests of community safety. SORAM (Sex Offender Risk Assessment and Management) is the joint management of certain types of sex offenders between the Probation Service, An Garda Síochána, the Irish Prison Service, Local Authorities and Tulsa where there are child protection concerns. There are now 28 local SORAM teams throughout the country based on the An Garda Síochána regional divisions.
